President's Message

September 2022

ACC Legislative Conference, EP Cardiac Ablation Cuts, MACCS update, AHA/ACC WIC Webinar on Harassment and Bullying, CV Team Educational Series

Hello Maryland ACC Colleagues,

Welcome back after a great summer! I wanted to let you know about key ACC and combined ACC/AHA events that our Chapter is supporting. 

ACC Legislative Conference: After three years, we are finally back to DC in person! Please come join the MD Chapter Council and Chapter Members for three days of advocacy on the Hill. There are some important legislative initiatives. Please consider attending this year. Here is more information on this conference. It will be held at the Hyatt Capital Hill on Oct 16-18.

Please join our advocacy committee led by Dr. Marty Albornoz, Dr. Joseph Marine, Dr. Rani Hasan, Dr. Michael Silverman, Dr. Jeremy Pollack and others. The most important issue is the proposed CMS cuts for EP cardiac ablation services and what the State Chapters and ACC and HRS are doing to oppose them. Despite our combined advocacy efforts since July 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have announced their CY 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule that will drastically reduce reimbursement for SVT, VT, and AF ablations (codes 93653, 93654, and 93656).ACC and HRS have launched a joint effort to address this problem which will involve advocacy, education, and communication to members, Congress, and CMS. Thanks to everyone who has responded to the ACC Action Alert already. We will need continued engagement from all ACC members on this issue, which will affect many practices. Action will be crucial to help continue to provide access to care and not reduce the autonomy of the physicians, education of our trainees, and research in EP. Anyone who would like to help with this urgent advocacy effort, please contact Dr. Joseph Marine at jmarine2@jhmi.edu

Mid-Atlantic Capital Cardiology Symposium Registration is now OPEN! This year features exceptional faculty and fellows from Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland and MedStar Health. Register today for the flagship scientific symposium of the MD Chapter. This year it is even bigger and better. Our Education Committee led by Dr. Sammy Zakaria, Dr. Rani Hasan, Dr. Ali Wand, Dr. Jonathan Chrispin, Dr. Stan Liu and others are working exceptionally hard on putting together a fantastic curriculum for this exciting multi-chapter meeting supported by the Pennsylvania, DC, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia Chapters. We are expecting a tremendous turn out for both of these events:

• FIT FORUM: Saturday, November 19 at Heart House
• Scientific Symposium: Sunday, November 20 at the Washington Marriott Georgetown
  

Registration and the agenda are here.

AHA/ACC Webinar on Harassment and Bullying: Please join this important conversation on learn how to be an ally. September 28 at 5:00 PM CT

• Recognize the evidence and necessity for a formalized intentional approach in fostering an environment and culture of dignity and respect in the cardiology field.
• Understand how to address and approach situations of harassment and bullying they may experience in the cardiology workplace through case-based discussions
  
• Determine how to approach situations where they may witness a colleague being bullied or harassed in the cardiology workplace through case-based discussions.
  

CVTeam Educational Series on September 22 at 7:00pm EDT: Navigating Medicare Part D. A Primer for the health care professional with Jessica Chasler, PharmD, MPH, BCCP. This is open to all members. Click here for registration.

I thank you for your commitment to the Chapter.